Rice Pudding

For some reason I had a craving for rice pudding. It's probably because every day reveals another disaster from the conservative government here in Ontario and it's driving me to seek all the comfort foods. This pudding tastes great warm or cold, and if you are not a big fan of raisins just leave them out. The cashews work double duty by providing creaminess and helping the pudding thicken as it cooks. This makes a lot of pudding, so if you are not feeding a family with four very hungry kids like I am, make a half recipe in a smaller pot.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 8-10
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups white jasmine rice, rinsed

- 3 cups non-dairy milk (I used soy), divided
- 1/3 cup cashews (soaked in water for a few hours if your blender isn't that strong)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/8 tsp turmeric

- 1 1/2 cups raisins
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
- 3 tbsp margarine
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

1. Get the water boiling in a large pot. Add rice, bring to boiling, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20 mins. The water should be all absorbed and the rice partially cooked (i.e. soft but still a but chewy).

2. While the rice is cooking, blend together 1 1/2 cups of the non-dairy milk with the cashews until very smooth. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of non-dairy milk, the sugar, and turmeric. Blend until smooth.

3. When the rice is done, add the milk/cashew mixture to the pot and mix well. Bring to bubbling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for  about 10 mins, stirring constantly, reducing the heat as needed to keep the pudding from spluttering. The mixture will become very thick, creamy, and consistent, and the rice will complete cooking though still maintain some bite. 

4. Add the raisins and cinnamon. Stir in the final 1 1/2 cups of non-dairy milk to return the mixture to a pudding consistency. You can stir more in later as the pudding cools, if needed. 

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the margarine. Then stir in the vanilla. 

6. Cool to desired temperature and serve. 

Crispy Treats

I'm pretty pleased with myself for perfecting this recipe. Turns out, it's a lot harder making the classic Rice Krispie treat than you'd think. Previous versions were too wet and thus sogged the cereal, or the sugar re-crystallized and the whole thing fell apart. But these! These have the perfect blend of crispness, sweetness, and chewiness that defines this childhood classic. These freeze and thaw very well should you need to make them ahead for a holiday party.  

INGREDIENTS
Marshmallow
- 3/4 cup salt-free chickpea aquafaba
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tbsp agar powder

Crispy Squares
- 1/3 cup margarine
- marshmallow from above
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 cups crisp rice cereal

METHOD
Make the Marshmallow:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
1. Place the aquafaba in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup. Pour into a mixing bowl (of a stand mixer if you have one) and let cool to room temperature. Place the bowl in the fridge to speed this up if you'd like.
2. When aquafaba is cooled, sprinkle in the xanthan gum. Whisk to stiff peaks with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Whisk in vanilla extract until incorporated.
3. Add sugar, water, corn syrup, and agar powder to a small sauce pan. Bring to bubbling over med/med lo heat, stirring constantly to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to firm ball temperature: 245 to 250 F (use a candy thermometer). Be patient. The temperature will rise, then plateau, then rise again. Resist the urge to crank the temperature up.
4. Once the sugar mixture has reached firm ball, whisk it into the aquafaba by drizzling it down the side of the bowl with the mixer running (I like to use a hand mixer for this part for greater control). Once all of the sugar had been incorporated, keep whisking until the bottom of the bowl is no longer hot (I like the stand mixer for this part).
5. Transfer the marshmallow to the prepared baking sheet and spread to about 1/2" depth. Let fully cool.
6. Once fully cool, lightly grease the top of the marshmallow. Cut into 2x2 squares and transfer to a cooling rack. Let dry at room temperature for at least 12 hours.

Make the Treats:
Lightly grease an 8x14 pan
1. Melt the margarine in a large pot over lo/med lo heat. Once melted, add the marshmallow pieces. Once again, be patient. Stir with a wooden spoon until all melted and smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat, add in the cereal, and mix well.
2. Press the cereal mixture into the prepared pan with a silicon spatula. Allow to fully cool, then cut into squares. Enjoy!

Snowballs

This is a fairly familiar Christmas cookie--nuts, fat, and flour coated in icing sugar. Growing up we had something like them called Russian Tea Balls. I like this version because the almond flour makes for a more crisp and smooth cookie than the one of my childhood. These are flavoured to be reminiscent of eggnog, but you could leave the nutmeg out of you'd like. 

INGREDIENTS
Makes 48 cookies
- 1/2 cup almond flour/meal
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 cup margarine
- 1 tbsp rum
- 2 tsp rum extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

METHOD
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper

1. Whisk together almond flour, corn flour, nutmeg, and icing sugar. 

2. Add margarine and mix into a smooth paste with a wooden spoon. Add rum and extracts and mix well.

3. Add flour and mix with the wooden spoon into a ball of dough. 

4. Roll 2 tsp of dough into balls and place 1" apart on the baking sheets (2 dozen per sheet if they are big enough).

5. Refrigerate the balls of dough while you preheat to the oven to 350 degrees with the racks in the top and bottom third of the oven.

6. Whisk remaining icing sugar and nutmeg in a medium bowl. 

7. Bake for 20 mins, rotting the pans and switching racks after 10 mins. Cookies should be dry and firm and very slightly browned.

8. Let cool for 5 mins, then toss in batches in the icing sugar mixture. Let fully cool on a wire rack. If you are going to freeze these for later, do it now. 

9. Toss again in the icing sugar before serving. 

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

I am emerging from a large research project just in time for the holiday season. So, the plan is to post as many holiday-themes recipes as I can in the next 3 weeks. It's going to be mainly baking, of course, but that's not a bad thing. First up are these snickerdoodles. They are basically a veganized Betty Crocker recipe with added nutmeg and rum for an eggnog-y taste. Remove both and you have a regular snickerdoodle. These are both crisp and chewy thanks to the magic of aquafaba, and are perfectly sized for a holiday cookie tray. 

INGREDIENTS

Makes 4 dozen

Cookie Dough

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/3 cup aquafaba

1 tbsp golden rum

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup corn flour

1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Topping

Mix together in a shallow bowl:

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

METHOD

Heat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Cream sugar, margarine, and shortening in large bowl until fluffy (I use a heavy-duty whisk). Whisk in aquafaba, then the rum.

2. Sift in flours, nutmeg, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Mix into a dough with a wooden spoon.

3. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar topping to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet. 

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. The tops should be cracked and not too wet looking. Let cool on a wire rack.

Wagon Wheel Cake

This cake is insane. It's massive, probably too sweet, has 5 separate elements, and is totally awesome!  Of course, my health conscious mother never bought us Wagon Wheels when my brothers and I were young, and oh, how we jealously pined for them when other kids brought them to school for lunch! When Vegan Mom and I were dating (and not yet vegan) in university, we used to keep ourselves motivated to study through the positive reinforcement of Viva Puffs. This cake evokes all of those memories, and is simply a lot of fun to make and eat. 

INGREDIENTS

- about 1 1/2 cups raspberry jelly

Cake

INGREDIENTS

- 227g all purpose flour

- 65g cocoa

- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 3/4 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 1/4 cup soy milk

- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

- 1/4 cup water

- 1 cup sugar

- 1/2 cup canola oil

- 1 tbsp vanilla

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Grease two 10 inch round cake pans.  Cut out two circles of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pans.  Put the parchment papers in the bottom of the pans and grease it.  Flour both pans.

2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk chocolate soy milk and vinegar together.  Add remaining ingredients and whisk well to blend.

3. Add dry ingredients and gently whisk until blended.  Don't overdo it.

4. Divide batter evenly between the two pans.

5. Bake for 22-24 mins, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Cool on wire racks for 10 mins, then flip the pans over the remove the cake.  Remove the parchment paper.  Let them fully cool.

Graham Cookie Layer

INGREDIENTS

- 3/4 cup all purpose flour

- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar

- 1/8 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp baking powder

- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening

- 1/4 cup maple syrup

- 2 tbsp soy milk

METHOD

1. Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in vegetable shortening with a pastry cutter to the size of small peas. 

2. Add syrup and soy milk and bring together into a ball. Add a tiny splash more soy milk if needed.

3. Divide dough into two equal pieces. Roll and trim each into a 10" circle on a piece of parchment paper, using the cake pan as a guide. Don't worry, you can trim it more after it is baked. 

4. Place each piece of parchment/dough circle on a baking sheet. Place in the fridge to cool for 30 mins.

5. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake one the middle and upper rack for 10 mins, rotating and switching the racks after 5 mins. Cookies should dry on the top and only very, very lightly brown. Do not over bake.

6. Remove from pans (parchment and all) to a cooling rack. When cooled, trim as needed with a small sharp knife using the cake pan as a guide. 

Marshmallow (from Plantified)

INGREDIENTS

- 3/4 cup salt free aquafaba

- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

- 1 tbsp vanilla extract

- 1 1/2 cups sugar

- 2 tsp agar powder

- 2 tbsp glucose syrup

- 1/3 cup water

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk aquafaba and xanthan gum to stiff peaks with a hand mixer. Whisk in vanilla. Set aside.

2. Bring the sugar, agar, glucose, and water to boiling in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to 250 F, stirring regularly/constantly to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Be patient. The sugar will quickly jump in temperature, plateau, then rise again. Resist cranking the heat to hurry the process along.

3. Slowly stream the hot sugar mixture into the aquafaba, constantly whipping it in with the hand mixer. When the sugar mixture is fully incorporated, keep whipping the mixture until it returns to room temperature (more or less--the bottom of the bowl should not feel warm). You can do all this with a stand mixer, but I find that the sugar mixture likes to get caught up around the top of the beater, so using a hand mixer is better). 

Ganache

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup light coconut milk

- 200g bittersweet vegan chocolate chips

- 2 tbsp margarine

METHOD

1. Heat coconut milk to bubbling in a small saucepan over medium heat. 

2. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and margarine.  Stir until everything is melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool completely. 

TO MAKE THE CAKE!

1. Bake and cool the cake. Level the top of the cake, if necessary (i.e. make sure it is flat and not domed). 

2. Bake and cool the graham cookie layer. Trim to fit on top of the cake (you can do this while the cookie is still slightly warm if you want). 

3. Place one of the cake layers on a serving platter. Spread 3/4 cup of raspberry jelly on top. Place one of the graham cookies on top of the jam. 

4. Repeat step 3 with the remaining cake, jelly, and graham cookie, and set aside.

5. Make the marshmallow. The marshmallow will set fairly quickly, so be prepared. Spread 7/8 of the marshmallow on top of the cake/jam/cookie layer in your serving platter. Put the second cake/jam/cookie layer on top of the marshmallow (making sure the cookie side is down and the cake layer on top). Gently press down and use an icing spatula to smooth the sides. Use the remaining 1/8 of the marshmallow to aid in this endeavour. 

6. Let the marshmallow fully set. I like to put the cake in a cool place for this step because it makes the ganache step easier.

7. Make the ganache and let cool to room temperature.

8. Spread a thin layer of ganache over the entire cake, like you would a crumb coat of butter cream. Set aside in a cool place (the fridge) to set.

9. Use the remaining ganache to cover the cake. Set aside in a cool place to set.

Pumpkin Brioche Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is a bit fussy but I thought I would post it anyway. The idea was to create a cheaper and easier brioche using margarine (instead of Earth Balance which I think has a weird taste, or homemade vegan butter). The problem is that margarine does not firm up in the fridge the way butter does, so the final dough is tricky to work with. Also, you need to keep the ingredients cold so the margarine does not melt. The xanthan gum gives the dough some structure, and flouring the dough before rolling helps as well. Don't worry if the rolls look a bit sloppy before they prove, as you can see from the pic it will all work out in the end. If this sounds like too much trouble, just use vegan butter and forget the xanthan gum. 

INGREDIENTS

Sponge

- 2.25 oz bread flour

- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 4 oz lukewarm soy milk

Dough
- 8 oz very cold margarine
- 6 oz cooked pumpkin, cold (see note below*)
- 4 oz cold soy milk

- 16 oz bread flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp xanthan gum (optional)

Filling

- 2 tbsp cooked pumpkin, cold

- 1 tbsp margarine

- 1/2 cup brown sugar

- 2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 tsp ground ginger

- 1/4 tsp nutmeg

- 1/8 tsp allspice

Icing

- 2 tbsp soy milk (more if needed)

- 1 1/2 c icing sugar

METHOD

Sponge
1. Mix together sponge ingredients until four is well hydrated. Cover and let sit for 45 mins.

Dough
1. Measure out the margarine and place it in the freezer. 

2. Add pumpkin, soy milk, flour, salt to the sponge and bring together into a dough with the paddle attachment. Let the dough sit for 5 mins. 

3. Using the paddle attachment on a mixer, add in 1/4 of the butter at a time, waiting until the previous amount has been fully incorporated before adding more. The final dough will be smooth, satiny, and very soft.
4. Switch to the dough hook and knead in the xanthan gum. The dough should gather in a ball around the hook.

5. Transfer dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

6. On baking day: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll/pat the dough on a well-floured surface into a 18" x 14" rectangle. Flour the top of the dough if needed. 

7. Whisk pumpkin and margarine together. Mix in sugar and spice. Spread on to the dough, leaving a 1" space on the long side. 

8. Roll up along the ling edge, ending at the 1" space. Cut into 12 1.5" pieces, tuck the piece of dough with filling on it to the bottom and place on the baking sheet. 

9. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise a room temperature for about 2 hours, or until about doubled in size. 

10. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 15-18 mins, until golden.

11. Make the icing. Mix together soy milk and icing sugar. It should be thick but able to be drizzled off the end of a spoon. Add more soy milk as needed. 

12. Let cool for 10 mins on the baking sheet, then drizzle the icing over the rolls. Let fully cool before eating. 

*NOTE: Microwaving is the way to go here. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a plate and microwave until flesh if soft and coming away from the skin. Allow to cool in the fridge before using, and keep the leftovers in a sealed container for other recipes. 

Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The sudden proliferation of pie pumpkins in the grocery store has let to some experimentation in the kitchen. Accuse me of jumping on the pumpkin spice bandwagon if you must, but these cookies are irresistible with their perfect blend of chewy and crispy. 

INGREDIENTS
Makes at least 24 cookies
- 75g minute oats
- 150g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted margarine/butter)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 112g margarine or vegan butter
- 105g packed brown sugar
- 90g white sugar
- 3 tbsp cooked pumpkin (see note below)*
- 2 tbsp unsalted chickpea aquafaba
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins


METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking pans with parchment paper.
1. Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Cream together margarine/butter with sugars in a separate medium bowl with an electric hand mixer. Add pumpkin and blend well. Add aquafaba and blend well, then blend in the vanilla. 
3. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in raisins
.4. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter on to the prepared baking sheets. This is a very wet dough, so a cookie scoop is the way to go. I use the 3/4 oz scoop. 
5. Bake in batches until golden, about 16-18 minutes. NOTE: baking time will be less on a dark baking sheet.
6. Let cool on the pan for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack until cool.

*NOTE: Microwaving is the way to go here. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a plate and microwave until flesh if soft and coming away from the skin. Allow to cool before using, and keep the leftovers in a sealed container for other recipes. 

Viennese Whirls

The Great British Bakeoff is back and all is well with the world. I had never heard of these biscuits/cookies before I saw them them in episode 2, but I knew immediately that I wanted to try them. What a bonus that the recipe is so easily veganized. I tried a version will all vegan butter but it did not come out as well as this version. I made a bunch of raspberry jelly this summer from our own berries, and it was absolutely perfect for this recipe. Use whatever jam you like, or check out the original recipe and make your own.

INGREDIENTS

Cookies

- 6 oz soft vegetable shortening

- 3 oz soft vegan butter

- 1¾ oz icing sugar

- 8 oz all purpose flour

- 1 oz corn starch

- large pinch of salt

- pinch of turmeric (optional)

Buttercream Filling

- 3½ oz soft vegetable shortening

- 7 oz icing sugar

- ½ tsp vanilla extract

- raspberry jam

METHOD

Cookies

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Move two racks to the centre positions. 

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a 2" round cutter as a guide to draw 12 circles on each sheet of paper. Turn the paper over so the pencil marks are underneath.

2. With an electric hand mixer, beat the shortening, vegan butter, and icing sugar until pale and fluffy.

3. Add flour, corn starch, salt, and turmeric (if using) and mix well with a wooden spoon, until smooth.

4. Transfer mixture into a piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle. Pipe 24 swirled rounds (not rosettes), inside the circles on the baking sheets.

5. Bake both trays for 6 minutes, then rotate pans (and switch racks) and bake for another 6-8 mins, until they are a pale golden-brown. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack.

Buttercream Filling

1. Beat all ingredients with an electric hand mixer until light and smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.

TO MAKE THE COOKIES

Spoon jam onto the flat side of 12 of the biscuits. Pipe the buttercream over the jam and sandwich with the remaining biscuits. Dust with icing sugar to finish.

Lemon Meringue Pie

I know I am late to the aquafaba/vegan meringue party, but better late than never I suppose. The issue was that I was never able to get the aquafaba to beat into stiff peaks and so I stopped experimenting months ago. Even after endless whisking on high in the KitchenAid, very soft peaks was the best I could get. And then I recently happened upon recipes that use xanthan gum. Problem solved! Perfect peaks every time (and I wonder if you could cut it down to 1/4 tsp for this recipe). Lemon Meringue Pie is one of Vegan Mom's favourites (and we have not eaten it for over 10 years) so I was happy to be able to take her down culinary memory lane. The filling is tangy and sweet, and firm without being rubbery. The meringue is some serious vegan magic.

The filling calls for both corn starch (white) and corn flour (yellow). This may cause some confusion because what the Brits call corn flour, Americans/Canadians call corn starch.

This recipe makes one big 10" pie or, as I found out tonight in preparing for a departmental party, 45 tarts.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 10" pre-baked pie crust

Filling
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup corn flour
- generous 1/2 tsp agar powder
- 2 cups + 3 tbsp (17.5 oz) white sugar
- 1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (15 oz) water
- 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- zest of 2 lemons
- 1 cup soy milk

Meringue
- 3/4 cup salt free chickpea aquafaba
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 7.5 tbsp (5 oz) superfine white sugar

METHOD
Bake your shell per whatever recipe you are using. It is best if the crust is slightly underdone since you will be baking the assembled pie. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Whisk the corn starch, corn flour, agar, and sugar together in a saucepan. Whisk in water, lemon juice, and zest, then whisk in soy milk.
2. Bring to bubbling over medium high, stirring constantly. When bubbling, reduce heat to med-lo and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Immediately pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and set aside to start cooling. The filling will be a bit runny, but it will set in the fridge.
4. Make the meringue: whisk the xanthan gum into the aquafaba, then place in a stand mixer and whisk on high with a balloon whisk until stiff peak form.
5. Whisk in the 1 tbsp of lemon juice, then whisk in the sugar a bit at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl regularly.
6. When the sugar is incorporated and the meringue is no longer gritty, gently spread the meringue over the pie filling. The filling will be wobbly, so be gentle (or pipe the meringue on).
7. Bake at 375 for 8 to 12 minutes, until meringue is lightly browned (or browned to your liking). I like to use convection for this step.
8. Let the pie cool for an hour, then transfer to the fridge. When pie is cool, put in a container in the fridge and completely cool (about 4 hours or up to overnight). If you are in a rush, place the cooled pie on ice packs in the fridge.

Brownies

I'm not sure why the perfect egg-free brownie has been so elusive--that perfect blend of fudginess and chewiness without being to dry or crumbly. As you can see from the ingredient list, the answer is not very complicated at all. This is pure, unadulterated, vegan dessert.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all purpose flour (scooped and levelled)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt
- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
1. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Bring yogurt, and non-dairy milk to just bubbling over medium heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Add oil and vanilla and mix until smooth.
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry with a wooden spoon. Mixture will be thick but spreadable. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 25-28 mins. Cool and serve.

Good and Lovely Christmas Ice Cream

Last night I had the great fortune of not only seeing The Good Lovelies in concert during their Christmas tour, but making dessert for the band. I wanted to make something holiday-ish to fit with the theme of the night and came up with this. The word is that the band loved the ice cream, hence the name.

The method for the ice cream is from Homemade Vegan Pantry, and the method for sugaring the chestnuts comes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. The recipe works best with a high powered blender like a Vitamix. If you don't have one, just make sure your cashews are nice and soft before blending

INGREDENTS
Ice Cream
- 1 cup whole raw cashews
- boiling water
- 1.5 cups non-dairy milk of your choosing
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- large pinch of salt
- 1 can coconut milk (light, or regular)
- 2 tsp vanilla

Sugared Roasted Chestnuts
- 1 cup chopped roasted chestnuts (about 3/4 lb whole chestnuts)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- pinch of salt

METHOD
Ice Cream
1. Cover the chestnuts with boiling water. Let sit for 15 mins then drain.
2. Blend cashews and non-dairy milk on high in a blender until smooth. Add sugar, cinnamon, and salt and blend until dissolved.
3. Add coconut milk and vanilla and blend until smooth.
4. Place mixture in the fridge until cold.
5. When mixture is cold, make in your ice cream maker per the directions. Mix the sugared chestnuts in before transferring to the freezer.

Chestnuts
1. Roast the chestnuts: preheat oven to 425 degrees. Use a sharp paring knife to cut a slit through the shell of each chestnut (to let the steam escape). Place nuts, slit side up, on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 mins, until shell splits around the slit. Wrap in a towel and set aside to cool.
2. When chestnuts are cool, peel, and roughly chop. 
3. Place the rest of the ingredients in a cold pan. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until mixture bubbles. Keep stirring for 3 mins, until mixture is thick. 
4. Remove from heat, add chopped chestnuts and mix to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Transfer to the freezer.

Fluffy Tapioca Pudding

Unless you have been hiding in a cave for the past little while, you know that aquafaba has taken the vegan world by storm. I have been experimenting with it for about two weeks and this was my first success. I used to make this pudding with eggs for my family when in my early teen years when I first caught the cooking and baking bug. This tastes exactly like I remember it--light and airy and not too sweet. I have used instant tapioca here to make the recipe as easy as possible, but I actually prefer small pearl tapioca for a little more texture. Use whatever tapioca you like making sure you soak it first as per the directions on the box.

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup chickpea aquafaba
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (optional, see note below*)
- 4 cups almond milk
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp instant tapioca
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract

METHOD
1. Put the aquafaba in a stand mixer fitted with a ballon whisk. Whisk on med-hi until frothy, then slowly stream in the sugar with mixer running. Whisk on high until peaks form (somewhere between soft and stiff peaks). Don't worry if the sugar has not completely dissolved.
2. In a medium saucepan, whisk the cornstarch (if using) into 1 cup of the almond milk. Whisk in the rest of the almond milk. Add the tapioca, coconut milk, and turmeric.
3. Heat the almond milk mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool for a few minutes.
4. Fold in the aquafaba mixture until incorporated.
5. Pour into a large bowl and refrigerate until fully cooled.

* the pudding will set in the fridge without the cornstarch, but it will be looser. With the cornstarch you can eat the pudding warm or at room temperature if that is your thing.

Caramel Corn

I can't eat this tasty treat because of my Crohn's, but I have had rave reviews from friends and family alike. This recipe is pretty much like every other caramel corn recipe out there, except that it uses vegan margarine which is cheap and adds some salt to complement the sweetness. I also like the addition of vanilla extract to round out the flavour a bit more. It does use light corn syrup which some may want to avoid--I am guessing that you can use brown rice syrup instead but I have not tried it. Experiments with adding maple syrup led to a pronounced burnt sugar taste (the kids ate it anyway). This recipe is party sized, so cut it in half if you want to. I like a thin glaze of caramel on the popcorn, so if you like more use only a 3/4 cup of popcorn. If you want to add nuts then reduce the popcorn accordingly.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup popcorn kernels
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup vegan margarine (I use Becel)
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda

METHOD
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
1. Pop your popcorn (I do it in two batches in an air popper) and place in a large roasting dish.
2. Mix together corn syrup, margarine and sugar in a medium/large saucepan. Place on a burner set between medium and med-hi heat. Keep mixing while everything melts, but stop once the mixture begins to bubble.
3. Let bubble until it reaches hard crack stage (between 300 and 310F). If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can let it bubble for 10 mins and it will be close enough.
4. Remove the mixture from the stove. Add the vanilla and mix well (it will splutter a bit).
5. Add the baking soda (it will foam like mad) and mix well.
6. Pour over the popped corn and mix well.
7. Bake, uncovered, for an hour. Mix well every fifteen minutes.
8. Remove from roasting pan and spread out on a piece of parchment paper to cool. Break up an large clumps. Once cool, store in an airtight container.

Mexican Bread Pudding with Spiced Syrup

This recipe is a mash-up of Isa's bread pudding from Isa Does It and a recipe from the very first vegetarian cookbook I ever bought, Simple Vegetarian Recipes. I used the all white flour version of my Everyday Bread because it has a nice open crumb structure that easily soaks up the liquid. If you are using a denser or leaner bread, give it more time to soak. I think it's worth the time to use the vanilla bean, but your can sub in 2 tsp vanilla extract and forget heating it on the stove. The agar is probably not needed--I was just panicking that I was adding too much liquid. As written, the end result is a moist and custardy pudding that pairs nicely with the anise notes from the syrup. The almonds provide some texture to make for a perfect dessert.

INGREDIENTS
Bread Pudding
- 7 cups cubed stale bread
- 1 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 1/4 cups almond milk
- 1/8 tsp turmeric (optional)
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp agar (probably optional)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp allspice

Spiced Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 4 cloves

METHOD
Bread Pudding
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 baking pan.
1. Put bread in a large bowl. Add raisins and almonds and toss to mix.
2. Scrape vanilla bean and whisk into the almond milk in a sauce pan. Whisk in turmeric. Add the bean pod and bring to bubbling over medium heat. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove bean pod.
3. Whisk in coconut milk, then whisk in cornstarch until smooth. Whisk in agar.
4. Whisk in the sugar and spices. Pour mixture over the bread and gently turn to coat. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the bread has soaked up as much liquid as it can. Gently mix the bread halfway through if necessary. Transfer to prepared pan and distribute evenly.
5. Bake for 35 mins, or until golden and the liquid has set.

Spiced Syrup
1. While the pudding is baking, add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to bubbling over medium heat and let bubble away for 10 mins. Remove from heat. Remove spices just before drizzling over the served pieces. 

Raspberry Flakie

 Oh, how I coveted other kids' Flakies when I was a kid. My mom would never buy such swill, of course, which only increased the allure of pre-packaged pastries.  There may or may not be beef tallow in Flakies, so if you are craving a treat from your Canadian childhood this recipe is for you.  The tang of the raspberry gets mellowed by the creamy filling, both of which are complemented by layers of buttery pastry.  I made my own butter this time--I use just a pinch of salt and it is absolutely  perfect for baking.  

INGREDIENTS

- 1 recipe easy puff pastry

- 1 recipe Twinkie filling

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 2 tbsp cornstarch

- 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries 

- 1 tsp lemon juice

- 1 tbsp water

- soy milk for brushing

- sugar for sprinkling

METHOD

1. Make the puff pastry and chill.  Make the Twinkie filling and chill in a pastry bag fitted with the tip of your choice.  

2. Make the raspberry filling.  Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan.  Add fruit, lemon juice, and water.  Mix well and bring to bubbling over medium-high heat.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

3. Roll out puff pastry into a 8x16 rectangle. Cut pastry into 8 4x4 squares.  If you want thicker pastries, roll into a 6x12 rectangle and cut into 8 3x3 squares (see bottom pic). Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

4. Chill squares while you heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Brush tops with soy milk and dust with sugar.  Bake for 20 mins, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 15 mins, or until pastry is golden.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  

5. When pastries are cool, cut in half with a serrated knife.  Cover bottom piece with raspberry filling, then pipe Twinkie filling on top.  Place top back on and serve.  

Vegan Twinkies

 Finally the final post in my vanilla cake series!  Every time we have a family weekend at the cottage, my sister in law sends me recipe ideas that the whole family can enjoy (vegan and non).  I was never that in to Twinkies, but it is a rather fun way to eat cake and frosting.  She send me this recipe which looked good, but I wanted to make the traditional filling so it could be stable at room temperature.  

There is a little bit of wiggle room with this recipe.  The problem I had was getting the bleedin' cakes out of the pan.  No amount of greasing, flouring, etc. made it any easier, so I had to go with a more durable cake so it could get it out of the pan in one piece.  If you are better at getting cakes out of a pan than I am, you can add up to 2 tbsp more milk and up to 2 tbsp more sugar (see pic below).

INGREDIENTS
Makes 8
Cake
- 100g cake or pastry flour
- 50g all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract

Filling
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 3/4 cup icing sugar
- 1/4 cup cold margarine
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, room temp
- 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cake
1. Sift together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together soy milk, orange juice, and lemon juice.  Whisk in sugar, oil, and extracts until smooth and consistent.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry and gently whisk until smooth.  Divide batter evenly in the separate sections in the pan (60g per section).
4. Bake for 16-20 mins, or until golden and baked through.
5. Allow cakes to fully cool before removing from pan.

Filling
1. While cakes are baking and cooling, make your filling.  Whisk flour into the soy milk in a small saucepan.  Place over medium heat and whisk until thick and cooked through.  Set aside to fully cool.
2. When flour mixture is cool, use a hand mixer to beat in the icing sugar, the margarine, coconut oil, and salt.  When fluffy, beat in extract.  Place in fridge to cool down for a least 30 mins.
3. Put filling into a piping bag fitted with a #5 tip (or similar).  Poke the tip into the underside of the Twinkies in three or four spots along its length and gently squeeze in filling.  You will feel the Twinkies swell.  Don't over fill.

These cakes have the additional soy milk and sugar.  You can see that they are more tender (and are overfilled) but that has resulted in some breakage getting them out of the pan, and some splitting when they were filled.  They tasted amazing, though.

Ultimate Boston Cream Pie

This is the second to last instalment of my vanilla cake series.  Boston Cream Pie is the first multi-component dessert I learned to make.  My mom had a wooden recipe box with handwritten recipes from my great grandmother.  I was fascinated by her cursive style, and by the prodigious amounts of sugar and butter each recipe called for.  My mom had scribbled reductions in the margins but I always tried to follow the original recipes for maximum effect.  I think I was about 12 years old when I started making Boston Cream Pies for the family.  This recipe has all the classic components but has a little fancier presentation.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 recipe vanilla cake

Cream Filling
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup sugar 
- 1/2 tsp agar powder 
- 2.5 tbsp cornstarch 
- large pinch of turmeric 
- 2 cups plain soy milk
- 1 vanilla bean, slit and scraped 
- 1 tbsp margarine 

METHOD
1. Whisk together agar, sugar, cornstarch, and turmeric in a saucepan until well blended.  Slowly whisk in soy milk until well bended. Add vanilla bean scrapings and bean pod.
2. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to bubbling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Once bubbling, cook for two mins, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat, remove vanilla bean pod, and add margarine.  Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap with holes poked into it.  Refrigerate until completely cold.
4. Whisk the cold pastry cream until smooth before putting it into the cake.

Ganache
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 200g bittersweet vegan chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp margarine

METHOD
1. Heat coconut milk to bubbling in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and margarine.  Stir until everything is melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool completely.  

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
I find it easiest to assemble this cake on a cake plate with a lid so that it can easily go in and out of the fridge.
1. Cut each cake in half laterally.  Spread one third of the cooled cream filling in between each of the internal layers (i.e. not on the top).  Cover and place in the fridge for 30 mins to firm up.
2. The next step relies on the ganache being completely cooled down, even a little cold.  Place it in the fridge if necessary.  When cooled, cover the entire cake in a thin layer of ganache, cover, and place back in the fridge.  Some ganache may get spilled on the plate during all this.  No worries, you can clean it up at the end.
3. Add a second think layer to the sides of the cake, and put the rest on the top.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

Lemon Raspberry Cake

I am going to stick with the cake theme for a bit to show you a few variations that are sure to please everyone.  The lemon juice and baking soda action gives this cake a nice rise and a wonderful crumb.  The zing of the lemon with the tartness of the raspberries and the sweetness of the frosting are absolutely perfect.  I made this with jam I had made just the day before from the raspberry canes in our  yard.  Summer perfection!

INGREDIENTS
- 150g cake flour
- 150g all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup plain soy milk
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tbsp lemon liqueur (i.e. Limoncello), or 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp lemon extract

- 1 cup raspberry jam (preferably homemade)
- fresh raspberries for garnish
- lemon buttercream (recipe follows)

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or 325 convection
1. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans.  Cut out two circles of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pans.  Put the parchment papers in the bottom of the pans and grease it.  Flour both pans.
2. Sift flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk soy milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Add remaining ingredients and whisk well to blend.
3. Add dry ingredients and gently whisk until blended and mostly smooth.
4. Divide batter evenly between the two pans.
5. Bake for 22-24 mins (convection), or 26-28 mins (non-convection), or until a toothpick comes out clean and cakes are golden.
6. Cool on wire racks for 10 mins, loosen cake from edges of the pan, then flip the pans over the remove the cake.  Remove the parchment paper.  Cover the cakes with a lightly damp towel and let them fully cool.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup margarine, room temperature
- 1/4 vegetable shortening, room temperature
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon liqueur 
- soy milk as needed

METHOD
1. Blend together margarine and shortening with a hand blender until fluffy.  Add lemon juice and zest and blend until smooth.
2. Add icing sugar and blend until fluffy.  Add liqueur and blend more.  Add soy milk, if needed, to get the desired consistency.  

TO ASSEMBLE:
Cut each cake in half lengthwise and spread 1/3 cup of jam on each of the three internal layers.  Spread a very thin layer of icing over all the cake (i.e. a crumb coat) and place in the fridge to firm up.  Use the rest of the frosting to decorate the cake as you see fit.  There is not a ton of icing here--just enough for a thin layer and some fanciness on the edges.  No need to overpower this delicate cake with gobs of frosting.  Decorate with fresh berries.  Can stay in the fridge until ready to serve if it is a hot day. 

Vanilla Cake

This is a basic vanilla cake recipe that is perfect for layered cakes of all kinds (a slight variation of my chocolate cake recipe).  I like the mix of cake flour and all purpose flour--it makes the cake durable but still moist and tender.  You can change the ratio to your liking.  The flour measurements are in grams because I have found that weighing flour is the best way to get consistent results every time.  I find that this cake bakes evenly and so no trimming is required to make a layered cake. 

If you missed my live posting on Facebook of the birthday cake I made for Son #3 yesterday, I have included pictures of it here.  It is the vanilla cake recipe posted here (obviously) with what can only be described as an obscene amount of frosting.  We rode the sugar high for hours!  The fondant recipe I used really did not work well (despite the look of the final product).  I will try to develop one for future cakes. 

INGREDIENTS
- 150g cake flour
- 150g all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup plan soy milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or 325 convection
1. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans.  Cut out two circles of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pans.  Put the parchment papers in the bottom of the pans and grease it.  Flour both pans. 
2. Sift flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk soy milk and vinegar together.  Add remaining ingredients and whisk well to blend. 
3. Add dry ingredients and gently whisk until blended and mostly smooth.
4. Divide batter evenly between the two pans.
5. Bake for 22-24 mins (convection), or 26-28 mins (non-convection), or until a toothpick comes out clean and cakes are golden.
6. Cool on wire racks for 10 mins, loosen cake from edges of the pan, then flip the pans over the remove the cake.  Remove the parchment paper.  Cover the cakes with a damp towel and let them fully cool.